Predictive Keyboard With Suppressed Keys

Abstract

A method of predicting keys have a probability to be entered next and suppressing keys those are not predicted as likely to be entered next on soft keyboards. The method displays a soft keyboard where only the predicted keys are displayed on the soft keyboard where the leftover space from suppressed keys are apportioned among predicted keys. So predicted keys may be larger in size on the soft keyboard. This makes the predicted keys more easily typed by users as compared to the other keys.

We claim: 
     
         1 . In a computer system having a soft keyboard a method of providing keys to a user for data input, comprising the steps of predicting keys have a probability to be entered next, wherein predicting keys includes determining keys have greater probability of being entered compared to the other keys; and suppressing keys those are not predicted as likely to be entered next; and displaying a soft keyboard where only predicted keys are displayed on the soft keyboard; and apportioning the leftover space from suppressed keys among predicted keys. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein predicting keys have a probability to be entered next comprises limiting key prediction to a certain number, only certain number of keys with highest probability of being entered next are predicted. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein predicting keys have a probability to be entered next comprises starting off predicting keys after a certain number of consecutive user inputs. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein apportioning leftover space from suppressed keys among predicted keys comprises predicted keys to expand towards left over spaces from suppressed keys. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein predicted keys to expand towards left over spaces from suppressed keys comprises enlarging predicted keys towards left over spaces from suppressed keys. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein predicted keys to expand towards left over spaces from suppressed keys comprises reshaping predicted keys in order to use up the left over spaces from suppressed keys. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein predicted keys to expand towards left over spaces from suppressed keys comprises enlarging predicted keys towards left over spaces from suppressed keys where suppressed keys are not completely obscured and still displayed underneath the predicted keys in a less explicit way to be kept available. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying a soft keyboard where only predicted keys are displayed on the soft keyboard comprises utilizing leftover space from suppressed keys to display extra soft buttons. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein utilizing leftover space from suppressed keys to display extra soft buttons comprises showing word completion suggestions in the leftover space from suppressed keys. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein predicting keys have a probability to be entered next comprises triggering the prediction by any user input. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein triggering the prediction by any user input comprises triggering the prediction when user approaches towards a key. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein triggering the prediction by any user input comprises triggering the prediction when user enters a letter, number, a sign, space or deletes a letter, a number, a sign, space or activates a modifier key. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein suppressing keys those are not predicted as likely to be entered next comprises recalling suppressed keys on the soft keyboard by an user input in case prediction is not accurate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein recalling suppressed keys on the soft keyboard comprises recalling suppressed keys by specific key on the soft keyboard. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein recalling suppressed keys on the soft keyboard comprises recalling suppressed keys by a gesture. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying a soft keyboard where only predicted keys are displayed on the soft keyboard comprises keeping the letter representation of reshaped keys at keys' default center and not move it to new center of the reshaped button. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein predicting keys have a probability to be entered next comprises utilizing a statistical model to predict keys based on already entered keys of the sequence of keys. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein utilizing a statistical model to predict keys comprises utilizing one of a statistical character model and one of a statistical word model. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein utilizing a statistical model to predict keys comprises utilizing one of a statistical character model and one of a statistical word model and one of a statistical sentence model. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein utilizing a statistical model to predict keys comprises utilizing moves of user's finger above the screen before tap is happening.